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AndroidOperating system · Google

CVE-2021-25503

MEDIUM · 6.7 CVSS v3.1 Published 2021-11-05
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
69/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Improper input validation vulnerability in HDCP prior to SMR Nov-2021 Release 1 allows attackers to arbitrary code execution.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · moderate confidence

Improper input validation vulnerability in HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) implementation allows attackers to achieve arbitrary code execution. The flaw exists in versions prior to the SMR (Samsung Mobile Security) November 2021 Release 1 patch. This is a classic input validation failure enabling code execution, likely triggered by maliciously crafted HDCP protocol data.

MitigationApply the SMR Nov-2021 Release 1 security patch or later to affected Samsung mobile devices running software prior to that date. This patch addresses the input validation flaw in the HDCP component.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
AndroidOperating system
Affected:= 8.1= 9.0= 10.0= 11.0

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
High
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Confirm device is a Samsung mobile device
    Check the device manufacturer and model in Settings > About Phone > Manufacturer or Model
    Affected if The device is not a Samsung mobile device (this vulnerability specifically affects Samsung devices)
  2. Identify the Android version
    Go to Settings > About Phone > Android version and note the exact version number
    Affected if The Android version is 8.1, 9.0, 10.0, or 11.0 (exact match to one of these versions)
  3. Check the Samsung Security Patch Level (SMR)
    Go to Settings > About Phone > Software information > Build number, or check Settings > Security > Security patch level. Note the month and year of the SMR patch.
    Affected if The security patch level is earlier than November 2021, or the patch level is not displayed (indicating updates have not been applied)
  4. Verify the HDCP component exists
    HDCP is a system DRM component. On Samsung devices, it is typically found in Settings > Connections > HDMI (if available) or as part of the Samsung MediaDrm system. Check for HDCP-related settings or verify the MediaDrm version in Settings > About Phone > DRM info.
    Affected if The device has HDCP functionality present (most Samsung mobile devices with HDMI or Samsung Link features include this component)

A user is affected if they have a Samsung mobile device running Android 8.1, 9.0, 10.0, or 11.0 with a Samsung security patch level prior to November 2021, as the input validation flaw in the HDCP component remains unpatched.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Apply the SMR Nov-2021 Release 1 security patch or later to affected Samsung mobile devices running software prior to that date. This patch addresses the input validation flaw in the HDCP component.

Recommended fix High confidence

SMR Nov-2021 Release 1 (November 2021 Security Patch Level)

  1. 1. Navigate to Settings on the Samsung Android device
  2. 2. Scroll down and tap on 'Software update' or 'System updates'
  3. 3. Tap on 'Download and install' or 'Check for updates'
  4. 4. Ensure the device updates to the November 2021 Security Patch Level (SMR Nov-2021 Release 1) or later
  5. 5. Verify the update was successful by checking the security patch level in Settings > About phone > Software information

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Android Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing12.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
28.0 hours of engineering $4,760
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Scan for this in your stack

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-25503 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data